CAMP HILL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD) today announced that Kermit Crawford, former executive vice president and president of pharmacy health and wellness for Walgreens, is joining Rite Aid as president and chief operating officer of Rite Aid Corporation, effective Oct. 5. Crawford will report to Rite Aid Chairman and CEO John Standley.

“Kermit is a highly experienced retail pharmacy industry executive with exceptional leadership capabilities,” said Standley. “This is an especially important time for Rite Aid as we move forward as a stand-alone company within the retail chain drug and healthcare industries and I am extremely pleased to have such an innovative and well-respected senior executive joining our Rite Aid leadership team as we move forward to successfully drive our business,” he added.

During his more than 30 years with Walgreens, Crawford held a wide range of store operations and senior management positions, including responsibility for the company’s pharmacy services, which included its pharmacy benefit management services. When he retired from Walgreens in 2014, Crawford was executive vice president and president of Walgreen’s pharmacy, health and wellness division, where he was responsible for all aspects of strategic, operational and financial management for the division.

Most recently, Crawford has been a retail and healthcare adviser and consultant for New York City-based Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in retail and consumer investments. He also serves on the board of directors for Allstate and LifePoint Health. He is also on the Board of Councilors of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with more than 4,500 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia and fiscal 2017 annual revenues of $32.8 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at www.riteaid.com.